The women's discus throw was an event at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. The qualification round mark was set at 42.00 metres. Nine competitors failed to reach that distance.
Summary In the final, Irina Beglyakova broke Nina Ponomaryeva's 4 year old Olympic record with a 51.74m. American Earlene Brown was not far off the old record with 51.35m, the only one interrupting the top three Soviet throwers. In the second round, defending champion Ponomaryeva improved to 51.61m, better than her previous record, to take over silver position. In the third round, Olga Fikotová improved on the record with a 52.04m, but her lead and record were short lived as Beglyakova improved it again to 52.54m. In the fourth round, Fikotová improved to 52.28m, but still was in second place. In the fifth round, Ponomaryeva got off her best throw of 52.02m, but it only improved her hold on bronze. Then Fikotová threw the winner. , over a meter past Beglyakova for another Olympic record. Beglyakova had no answer, settling for silver.
In a much publicized Olympic romance, Fikotová would marry American hammer throw champion, Hal Connolly. After moving to the United States, she was refused permission to continue to throw for Czechoslovakia by the country's communist authorities. As Olga Connolly, she would represent USA in the next four Olympics.
Results Qualification Qualifying distance: 42.00 metres Rank Athlete Nation 1 2 3 Distance Notes 1 Olga Fikotová 28.60 50.77 50.77 Q 2 Nina Romashkova-Ponomaryova 48.34 48.34 Q 3 Irina Beglyakova 40.77 47.65 47.65 Q 4 Štěpánka Mertová 40.51 46.26 46.26 Q 5 Jiřina Vobořilová 44.42 44.42 Q 6 Earlene Brown 43.90 43.90 Q 6 Albina Yelkina 43.90 43.90 Q 8 Lia Manoliu 43.87 43.87 Q 9 Isabel Avellán 40.91 43.66 43.66 Q 10 Marianne Werner 40.78 43.41 43.41 Q 11 Paola Paternoster 42.88 42.88 Q 12 Nada Kotlušek 40.73 42.45 42.45 Q 13 Lois Jackman 39.25 41.68 42.21 42.21 Q 14 Suzanne Allday 39.39 38.89 41.45 41.45 15 Anne-Chatrine Lafrenz 33.72 41.18 41.16 41.18 16 Toyoko Yoshino 40.77 36.47 40.91 40.91 17 Shirley Cotton 37.74 40.76 39.36 40.76 18 Pam Kurrell 38.01 40.49 39.92 40.49 19 Jackie MacDonald 33.77 33.93 40.41 40.41 20 Marjorie Larney 39.91 38.04 x 39.91 21 Valerie Lawrence 33.84 35.76 36.61 36.61 22 Almut Brömmel x x 35.47 35.47
Final Rank Athlete Nation 1 2 3 4 5 6 Distance Notes Olga Fikotová 46.56 50.09 52.04 52.28 53.69 49.98 53.69 Irina Beglyakova 51.74 51.01 52.54 50.32 48.22 48.31 52.54 Nina Romashkova-Ponomaryova 51.03 51.61 50.17 47.22 52.02 51.10 52.02 4 Earlene Brown 51.35 42.55 x x 40.45 44.79 51.35 5 Albina Yelkina 47.87 x 48.20 45.18 45.45 47.92 48.20 6 Isabel Avellán 46.73 44.84 42.69 46.31 43.88 44.35 46.73 7 Jiřina Vobořilová 45.57 x 45.84 45.84 8 Štěpánka Mertová 41.96 45.78 43.41 45.78 9 Lia Manoliu 43.90 43.76 42.72 43.90 10 Marianne Werner 43.34 41.89 x 43.34 11 Paola Paternoster 42.83 40.89 x 42.83 12 Nada Kotlušek 41.79 39.89 42.16 42.16 13 Lois Jackman 40.84 40.28 40.64 40.84
References
External links Official Report Results